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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · perch · cue · saw · craft · pass · ground · row

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pass — a permit
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. craft — boats
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. row — to paddle
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ground — a position
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ground — crushed
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. root — of a word
  18. ground — the earth
  19. craft — a skill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a line
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com